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Here, I have explained the Vastu Guidelines for the House Warming Ceremony or Grahapravesha, and the possible scientific reasons and logic on which they were based, so that you an decide what you want to follow and what you don’t.
At an auspicious time:The Vastu Pooja should be done at an auspicious time after consulting a priest. Normally it is started at night and goes on till dawn. The Reasoning - As the pooja draws to a close, and dawn breaks with the morning sunlight streaming in, it signifies the ‘dawn’ of a new beginning for the inmates.
The house construction should have been completed before the ceremony: The building should be complete in all respects, before the Grahapravesham is held. Even the upper floors should be ready for occupation. The Reasoning - According to Vastu, after the house Warming ceremony, the Owner should start living in the House and should not keep it locked. Therefore, it should be completed in all respects, as otherwise, the remaining works will cause inconvenience and will be hazardous to the health of the inmates.
Cooking or using the toilet should be avoided before the ceremony. The Reasoning – All activities should commence only after the House has been blessed.
The Building should be scrupulously cleaned and decorated before the function. The main entrance door should be decorated according to the custom of the Owner. The Reasoning - During the Grahapravesha ceremony, a higher power is invited to reside in the Building and so the building should be cleaned up. Moreover, guests who are invited will find the house inviting, if it is clean.
Rituals during Grahapravesham: During the ceremony, the Owner and his family enter the Building and partake of the poojas (Rituals), which the priest performs in the Centre of the Building, to the imaginary Vastu Purusha. The Reasoning - The centre of the building is the Brahmastana or the place where Brahma (the supreme one) resides. The rituals performed by the priest gives the Owner the feeling that the building has been sanctified. Some of the rituals done include:
Five essential items: for the ceremony include, Milk which represents the element Water, Incense which is symbolic of Air, Flowers that represent Earth, Fire or Light that symbolises Fire and the sound of a Bell that represents Space. The Reasoning - In this way, all the Five elements of Nature are brought together and offered to the divine power to ensure prosperity and protection of the inmates.
Boiling of milk: The family’s deities are enshrined in the Pooja Room and the lady of the house boils milk, till it overflows. The milk is shared between the family members. The Reasoning - The boiling-over of milk signifies that there will always be an (overflow) abundance of happiness, wealth and peace in the building. The sharing of milk signifies that the family should share the good and the bad always.
Sprinkling of holy water: This is followed by prayers for good health, wealth and happiness. Finally holy water is sprinkled throughout the Building to purify all the corners. The Pooja fire is allowed to burn out and lot of sweet smelling smoke is allowed to pervade the house. This signifies that the Building has been purified.
Grahapravesham lunch: After the rituals, the guests and all the workers who were involved in the construction, are treated to a lunch. The Reasoning – This is a to share the Owner’s happiness with his relatives and the workers who helped to make his dream a reality.
Gifts for the workers: The Reason – The workers engaged in the Construction are presented with gifts as a token of appreciation by the Owner.
Occupying the House: After the function, the family should from that very day, start living in the building. The Reasoning - The Grahapravesha signifies the beginning of a new life in the new Building and so the Owner and his family should stay there from that very day.
This post was about the the Grahapravesha ceremony, the final ritual to be done after the completion of the building, just before occupying it. Also read about the other rituals that are done before construction:
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September 21st, 2011 at 8:59 am
I like your post for grahapravesh. I am about to move to a house which I just bought; after suffering for 7 years in the house I believe was not a lucky place for my family. Any way thanks and hope all these rituals will be beneficial.
Thanks